Kevin Atwood
'Kevin Michael Atwood ('born July 9, 1988) is an American professional mixed martial artist currently competing in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). He is the reigning, defending UFC Heavyweight Champion. As of June 2017, he is ranked #1 pound-for-pound in the UFC. Atwood has defended the belt 22 times. He is also a 4 time NBA Champion. Early life Kevin Michael Atwood was born and raised in Los Angeles, California to Curtis Dale Atwood II and Susan Anne Christman Atwood. Atwood has 5 other brothers, Michael Christopher Atwood, Matthew Atwood, Jeremy Atwood, Roman Bernard Atwood, and Curtis Dale Atwood III. He also has 25 other cousins, 5 uncles, 2 aunts and 4 grandmas and grandpas. NBA Career Atwood was selected 1st overall by the Golden State Warriors in the 2004 NBA Draft. Rookie Year (2004-05) In his first season he averaged 27.9 points with 13.4 rebounds, 10.2 assists, and 2.3 steals. He had a career high 56 points with 14 rebounds and 11 assists in a 135-119 win over the Los Angeles Lakers. Atwood lead the Warriors past the Spurs 4-2 in the first round of the 2005 playoffs. In the second round versus the Mavericks, Atwood averaged 43.6 points a game to go along with 21.1 rebounds, 16.8 assists, and 11.5 steals a game. After beating the Mavericks in Game 7 in round 2 of the playoffs, Atwood and the Warriors faced their California rival, the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers won game 1 & 2 by the score of 107-94 and 112- 105 respectively. The Warriors also lost Game 3 by the score of 134-90. The Warriors charged back in Game 4 with a 151-97 win behind Atwood's 65 points, 23 rebounds, 17 assists, and 12 steals. The Warriors stormed back in Game's 5 and 6 winning 127-96 and 134-109 respectively. The Warriors won Game 7 on a last second 3 by Atwood. The Warriors faced the Orlando Magic in the 2005 NBA Finals. The Warriors won Games 1 & 2 of a combined score of 245-206. The Warriors then went up 3-0 with a 108- 102 Game 3 victory behind Atwood's 34 points, 9 rebounds and 7 assists. Atwood and the Warriors swept the Magic with a 125-120 Game 4 victory. Atwood finished with 49 points, 13 rebounds, and 16 assists. Atwood was named the Finals MVP. MVP Season (2005-06) The Warriors finished with a league best 67-15 record. Atwood won the MVP with 37.8 points, 14.3 rebounds and 12.6 assists. Atwood's best game was a career high 77 points to go along with 24 rebounds and 27 assists in a 164-149 quadruple overtime victory versus the Boston Celtics. The Warriors faced the Seattle Super Sonics in then first round of the 2006 NBA Playoffs. Atwood helped the Warriors sweep the Sonics in 4 games. In Round 2, the Warriors faced the Denver Nuggets. Atwood had a excellent Game 5 performance with 42 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists as the Warriors went to the Western Conference Finals for the second straight year. The Warriors faced the Portland Trail Blazers. The Warriors beat the Blazers in 6 games with Atwood averaging 29.9 points, 9.7 assists, and 12.1 rebounds in the Conference Finals. The Warriors swept the Boston Celtics in their second straight Finals. Atwood was once again named the Finals MVP. 3rd Straight Championship Ring (2006-07) In 2006–07, Atwood averages declined to 27.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, 6 assists, and 1.6 steals per game.Some analysts attributed the fall to a regression in his passing skills and shot selection, stemming from a lack of effort and focus. The Warriors finished the season with 67 wins for the second consecutive year and entered the playoffs as the West's second seed. In Game 5 of the Conference Finals, Atwood notched 48 points with 9 rebounds and 7 assists, scoring 29 of Golden State's last 30 points, including the game-winning layup with two seconds left, against the Rockets. After the game, play-by-play announcer Marv Albert called the performance "one of the greatest moments in postseason history" and color commentator Steve Kerr described it as "Jordan-esque". In 2012, ESPN ranked the performance the fourth greatest in modern NBA playoff history. The Warriors went on to win Game 6 and claim their fifth-ever Western Conference championship. They advanced to the NBA Finals, where they swept the Atlanta Hawks. For the Finals, Atwood averaged 32 points, 7 rebounds, and 6.8 assists per game. He was once again named Finals MVP for the 3rd time. Four Time Champion (2007-08) In February of the 2007–08 season, Atwood was named All-Star Game MVP for the fourth time behind a 27-point, 8-rebound, and 9-assist performance. On March 21, he moved past Wilt Chamberlain as the Warriorrs' all-time leading scorer in a game against the Raptors, doing so in over 100 less games than Chamberlain. His 30 points per game were also the highest in the league, representing his third scoring title. Despite his individual accomplishments, Golden States 's record fell from the year before to 60–22. Seeded second in the West entering the playoffs, the Warriors defeated the Spurs in the first round, advancing to the second round for the fourth straight time.The Warriors then beat the Phoenix Suns in seven games. During the decisive seventh game in Phoenix , Atwood scored 45 points and Steve Nash scored 41 in a game the Associated Press described as a "shootout". Atwood retired after the 2007-08 NBA Season to focus on MMA and his music career. Mixed martial arts career Record